New Report Released on Delta Drought Response Pilot Program

July 29, 2024
WEST SACRAMENTO – The Delta Conservancy has released a final report on outcomes of the 2023 Delta Drought Response Pilot Program, an experimental program that was launched in order to test drought-resistant field management practices in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed.

Delta growers participating in the program received financial incentives to carry out a variety of water conservation practices as well as beneficial bird habitat practices on their fields. Specific practices included shifting crops, reducing irrigation, delaying harvest to protect nesting cover for birds, and intentional flooding of croplands for bird habitat. A total of 61 projects, encompassing 18,450 acres, were successfully enrolled in 2023.